Reminisce
by Amelia Wilde
Summary: A wintry night at the Goldsworthy residence brings heartwarming memories of Eli & Clare's teen years.


**Since it's minus 6 degrees (F) outside and I have nothing to do, I've been inspired to do a cute little fluffy Eclare one-shot. Enjoy! :)**

From a long day at the newspaper, I arrive late at home. I dust the snow off of my boots before I enter my home. _Our home. _As I enter, I turn my head to see the small plaque by the door outside. '_Goldsworthy Home_', it reads. I open the door and set my keys on the table by the door.

"I'm home," I say, walking toward the living room, turning on a lamp. I see my husband lie on the couch, asleep with our five-year-old daughter in his arms, also sleeping. The TV was on a children's program, playing it quietly as the fireplace pops and crackles quietly below it. I peck a kiss on both of their cheeks, knowing neither of them will notice. I turn to see the Christmas tree, still standing tall. Eli was supposed to take down the tree today, for it was too cold to shoot his film today so he stayed home with Emerald. I start toward the stairs, but I am stopped by a stroke on my hand.

"Stay." Eli says, his voice heavy, and his eyes still closed, lying on the couch.

I walk to the front of the couch, to face Eli and Em. I sit on the edge of the ottoman that faces the couch. Eli stares at me with his green eyes, smirking.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask with a smile. Eli smirks at me.

"You're just really beautiful, Blue Eyes," he gestures his hand-the one not around Em's body-for me to lay with them. I lay next to Eli, my head resting on his chest, with Emerald laying in front of me. She adjusts her head so that her head rests on my shoulder. Eli wraps his arms around us.

"And we made the most beautiful child." He says, stroking my curls from my face. I smile at him. She really was a beautiful child. She had Eli's sparkling green eyes (for which she was named 'Emerald'), his smirk, and his sarcastic manner. She had my curly, short light auburn hair and my curious and innocent wit. He kisses the top of my head.

"You're such a softie, Eli." I say, smiling up at him. I bring my arm up to touch his face. He looks down at me, smirking.

"Eh, so what if I am? You're beautiful and I love you. You are mine, Clare Goldsworthy, and I love you. I always will." He says.

"I love you, too, Eli." I say, and I can't think of anything more to say. He was the one who had the way with words. Romantically, at least.

Em turned over, scared. "Daddy," she says, looking up at Eli with wide, green eyes and a concerned look on her face.

"What's up?" Eli's face goes from a smirk to a very concerned expression.

"I had a bad dream, Daddy." She says, looking sad and frightened. I stroke her hair to comfort her.

"It's late. C'mon, Em. Let's get you tucked in." Eli says, getting up from the couch, as Em and I get up after him. She stands up and holds her arms out to Eli, signaling that she wants to be carried up. I smile at her innocence as Eli swiftly picks her up. Em wraps her arms around Eli's neck and buries her face in his chest as he holds his arm under her small, frail legs. He walks up the carpeted stairs with Emerald in his arms as I follow behind them.

We arrive in Emerald's pink and (mostly) black bedroom and he sets her down into her bed. Eli makes sure to carefully pull the blankets over her. Em smiles up at us.

"Can you tell me a story?" She asks, ever-so-innocently, her big green eyes beaming up at us.

"Like what?" Eli says, taking a seat at the edge of her bed. He gestures for me to sit on his lap. He wraps his arms around my waist.

"Tell me how you and Mommy met." She says, smiling Eli's smile. I laugh as Eli rolls his eyes. We hadn't told her this story before, but Eli always had a problem with telling it. He thought he was too 'cheesy'.

"Well let's see," I start, "I used to wear glasses to help me see. But I got them fixed with a surgery. I had them at school with me." I say, smiling at Eli, summoning him to tell the next part.

He rolls his eyes and smirked. "And I drove by the school to park Morty, and-"

"Who's Morty?" Em asks, clutching a plush toy.

"Daddy's old car. It looked a lot like the one we have now." I say. It was true. Eli surely hasn't changed his taste. After all, he painted our daughters room mostly _black_.

"What happened to Morty?" She asks. Eli looks at me. He really shouldn't tell our five-year-old about how he crashed a car for me.

"I'll tell you later." Eli said, smiling at our daughter's innocence. "Anyway, I went to park my car and I ran over Mommy's glasses and they broke."

"He gave them back to me and said, 'I think they're dead'." I say to her. Em giggles and Eli brings his palm to his face, expressing sarcastic 'shame'. I laugh. "Then he looked at me and smiled. And you two have the same smile." I say. She smirks, as if on command. Eli smirks along with her.

"I told her she had pretty eyes and then I left." Eli says, looking from Em to me, and smirking. Em looks up at me.

"You _do _have pretty eyes, Mommy. I wish I had your eyes." She states.

"Oh, no. Your eyes are as beautiful as Daddy's. You two have the prettiest green eyes." I say, carressing her face. She smirks cutely and sinks into her covers.

"Well it's time to sleep now, eh?" Eli says with a smirk. I get up from his lap. Eli leans down to kiss Emerald on the forehead and brushes her curls from her face. I peck a kiss on her forehead as well.

"Good night, Em." Eli says. She smirks at us and I turn the lights off on my way out.

Eli and I walk across the hallway to our room. We change into pajamas and I climb into bed. Shortly after, he climbs into bed with a white V-neck and boxers. He wraps both arms around my waist and I rest my head into his chest.

"You know, she loves you more than she loves me." I say.

"Aw, that's not true. She loves you." Eli says, patting my curls. "You two are beautiful. I'm glad to have the two most wonderful females in the world live in my home." he says. I look up at him. He kisses my lips softly and mutters against my cheek,

"_I love you, Clare Goldsworthy._" He says.

**. . . Thoughts, please?**


End file.
